Manshake

Fist bumps is what you need.

Much more unisex. Less masculine than handbreaks. Less feminine than hugz. Can be used on anyone without them feeling pressured in any way.

Mr Handbreak was a total knob and he absolutely intended to hurt me (and other women who he shook hands with) to show his dominance and masculinity (sigh)

How about a knee to the groin , or would that be considered bad form?

Honestly, I hate men like this, and am glad that I have never met one. On a psychological level, displays like this directed towards women are because he feels lesser than most men, and so displays his dominance to women. He probably feels that women are the only group he can dominate, and thinks they are the 'weaker sex'. This sort of inferiority-superiority complex plays havoc with your self esteem, and is not a good indicator for this guy having good relationships with men or women. His relationships with men will likely be of the sucking-up, I'm-not-as-good-as-you variety, while his relationships with women will be more of the patriarchal, put-women-in-their-place and tell-them-they-are-wrong. Ugly, not matter how you look at it.

When you get mr handbrake take Eddie Izzards advice and scream or go limp. Squeezy hand death man!

But it would look rude if someone offered their hand to shake and you just looked disdainfully at it or you put your hands behind your back or you just say you don't shake hands..

I agree it is a bit of a minefield. I just follow the lead of the other person.

Sometimes I shake hands, sometimes I don't. I certainly don't go out of my way to initiate a round of handshakes in the way that some of my colleagues do

"and men have defined what is normal behaviour in the business world through their domination of it."

So what would you suggest women do instead? Just greet someone and tell them you don't shake hands on principle?

I'm afraid I prefer a handshake to a hug. The owner of a restaurant I was at the other night forced a hug on me (I don't know him) and I hated it. Any gesture can be turned into a more aggressive act if someone wants it to be

Mr Handbreak sounds like he wants to intimidate deliberately

Men do kiss each other as a normal form of greeting in some European countries.

It's the "done thing" because men shake hands (historically to show they come unarmed), and men have defined what is normal behaviour in the business world through their domination of it.

I don't see shaking hands as masculine either, and much prefer it to a hug, which to me is for close friends and family only. My only real bug bear is kissing, especially the European double kiss!

Don't know what I'd do if someone hurt me when shaking hands, it's not something I've ever really come across. I guess I'd keep my hand by my side after the first couple of times and try a Japanese style nod instead.

I much prefer a handshake to the dreaded kissing people I hardly know. Nasty. And men don't kiss each other but both women and men kiss women as a greeting.

Why is shaking hands seen as masculine behaviour?

In a previous life I would shake hands a lot because it is the "done thing" when conducting business.

I hate shaking hands too - I'm quite happy meeting new people without going through that rigmarole

It just reinforces that the "normal" way to behave in business is masculine behaviour

I prefer a handshake to a hug, I feel really uncomfortable being pushed in to hugging strangers.

Not experienced "Mr hand break" I tend to make an effort to give a strong handshake (It's like a personal pride thing).. But if someone actually tried to hurt me, I can't think of a more appropriate response than saying "that hurts". I'd also follow up with "what the fuck is wrong with you". No one one accidentally hurts someone while shaking their hand. That's not a "strong handshake".